Please Understand
by DemonFireFox
Summary: Riley doesn't seem to understand that he has people who care about him. Ben has to fix that. Disclaimer: I don't own anything!


I hate it when Ben worries about me. I am twenty two for crying out loud. I get it that he means well and just has my best interest at heart, but still I am a grown man who can take care of myself. So believe me when I say I do not appreciate being manhandled to his house because of a little clod.

"Riley are you even listening to me?" No. I looked up to see Ben with a very serious face. "Riley I am serious," No I couldn't tell. "You are sick and you still neglect yourself. That is not healthy. If I trusted you to take care of yourself I wouldn't have had to drag you all the way down here. And don't give me that look. I know that you think because you are an adult that means no one can tell you what to do but in all reality that is not true." I rolled my eyes and crossed my arms. Here we go again another lecture from Papa Ben about the importance of taking care of yourself.

"Gee Ben what is next? Oh are you going to teach me to use the potty like a big boy?" This was getting really old. I'm not some child that needs to be coddled by their daddy. Ben is way to overprotective. I have made it on my own just fine so why do I all of the sudden need help now?

"Funny Riley but hiding under sarcasm isn't going to make you feel any better." Finally Ben stopped standing over me and sat down on one of his chairs in the huge living area. "Listen Riley I get how independent you are and I applaud that. It is good that you don't have to rely on others to help you through life but at the same time it can be a bad thing. You need to trust your friends to take care of you and you need to take care of you. And since you have been doing such a poor job of that Abigail and I have decided to." Great now he had brought Abby into this.

"And by you and Abigail you mean you?" I didn't want to believe that now even Abby thought that I could not take care of myself when I was an adult.

"No I mean Abigail and I have decided that we will take care of you until you are back into proper health." Ben said with a slight smirk. He knew it was hard for me to say no the sweet little blonde he had fell for.

"Ben this is stu" I interrupted myself in a large coughing fit. Now not only did my head hurt but my lungs as well. And this only help Ben further his point. After I was done I looked up to see said man with a smile on his face. I could tell mine was turning red from the embarrassment of being proven wrong.

"What was that Riley, I couldn't quite make that out?" I hated it when he gloated.

"It is still," I cleared my throat. "It is still stupid. Ben I am twenty two. I'm perfectly capable to take care of myself. So if you will excuse me I think I should be going." I started to stand and was about to leave when Ben grabbed my arm and spun me around.

"You don't get it Riley. You are Abigail and I." Ben's tone dropped down to a no nonsense one. I actually felt a little intimidated by him at the moment.

"I don't want to Ben." I tried to pull my arm away but he wouldn't budge.

"Riley David Poole you are staying here and that is final. I don't care if you do not want to stay because I refuse to sit around and watch you neglect yourself further. I will not have a repeat of last year. Do you know how scared I was when the hospital called me saying you had pneumonia that was caused by a neglected cold? You are not putting yourself or any of your family through that again. Understood?" What was with Ben lately? All of the sudden he was acting like less of a friend and more of a parent. I'm just surprised he didn't call me 'young man' during that little rant.

"Last year is not going to happen again. Trust me I learned my lesson. You know how much I hate hospitals and after a week long stay there I came to the conclusion to watch when I am sick." Ben huffed and rolled his eyes. "Ben I get that you are worried but you have no reason to be. I fluids at my apartment and painkillers. Give me a day or two and I will be back to normal, okay?" But everything wasn't okay. That is when Abigail came into the house with a backpack and a box in her hands.

"I have all of the things you asked me to get from Riley's." Abigail descended the staircase and with every step I became angrier with Ben. He already sent his wife to my place, to get my things, without my permission? "Oh no did I walk in at a bad time?" I think she saw the look on my face and clued in.

"No. Riley was just headed up to his room to get some rest. Weren't you Riley?" Ben turned to me with an expecting look.

"No Ben I wasn't. Actually I was headed back to my place. So thank you Abby for my stuff. And now I will be leaving." Forgetting Ben still held my arm I did not get very far. "Ben let go." I said very angry.

"No." I turned to Abigail for support but all I got was a disappointed look.

"Riley I expected better of you. I thought that you would recognize that we wanted to help and would trust us to do just that." Tears started to well up in Abby's eyes and I knew I was being played. But I couldn't help but feel bad.

"No please don't cry. I'm sorry," I hated it when she cried. It made me feel so horrible that I didn't do something to stop it.

"If you would just trust us. Why don't you Riley?"

"No I do. I promise that I do."

"Then why won't you stay with us?" She got out one of her tissues and started to dab her eyes. And that is when I new I lost the fight.

"Fine. You win." Ben let my arm drop and I went upstairs defeated.

**Ben POV**

It was about time the kid finally gave in. I can't believe that Abigail had to cry to get him to finally say yes. Sometimes he could just be so stubborn. "Took him long enough." I said once he was out of ear shot. "He is so stubborn."

"Wonder where he gets it from?" A sarcastic voice said. Looking over at my wife I smiled a little.

"Shut up."

"I'm just saying kids learn by example." I rolled my eyes at this statement.

"Except for the fact that Riley is not a child." Abigail finally put the backpack she had been carrying on the table.

"Then why do you treat him like one? I mean Ben you had him held by the arm when I came in the door as if he were some rebellious teenager." This struck me. Looking back on all the time I had spent with Riley I just noticed how protective of him I am. I know I would take a bullet for the ki- no guy. I would take a bullet for the **guy**.

"Okay so maybe I treat him a little younger then I should but still. I have my reasons to especially when he acts so immature about proper hygiene. I mean how hard is it to wash your hands?" Okay I exaggerated a little I knew Riley washed his hands but still he could be rather gross.

"Ben?" I looked back to my wife. "Why don't you stop talking to me and go talk to him." Nodding my head I left to go up the stairs.

Seeing Riley's door and hearing what sounded like hurling I turned the knob and entered. Running into the bathroom I saw Riley leaning over the toilet puking his guts out. "Ew." Finally he rose his head up and I grabbed a towel to wipe his face.

"Sorry about this Ben." He apologized after I was done wiping the right side of his face.

"It's okay, kids make messes." After I was done I stood up and threw the towel in the laundry basket.

"Excuse me?"

"Please Riley I really don't want to fight with you right now, so please get in the bed." Riley made his way over to me then looked at me with his big blue eyes.

"You really do care about me?" I was shocked by the question. Of course I cared! Riley is my best friend.

"Of course I do. What would ever make you think otherwise?"

"I don't know. Not many people have before. It is just a new feeling." He was looking down at his feet now. "I like it."

"We will talk more about this in the morning Riley. But I want you to know that I care more about your life then my own. I would sacrifice myself in a second if it mean saving yours. Don't ever think that you are not cared for understand?"

**A/N: First National Treasure story so please be kind. Review!**


End file.
